FALL RIVER — As the city wrestles with allegations that Jasiel Correia extorted hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana businesses trying to open in Fall River, a new proposal is sitting on the mayor's desk waiting for approval.
Regeneration LLC has proposed converting a mill building at 394 Kilburn St. into a facility that would cultivate cannabis, as well as produce and manufacture cannabis-based products. Tricia Fields, chief financial officer, said Monday that Regeneration LLC has worked to steer clear of any possible controversy during the application process.
“No one has approached me and asked for bribes or anything like that. The city told us we had their support,” she said.
A total of 14 separate marijuana facilities have been locally approved by Correia, who was arrested Friday on extortion charges. Of those 14, four businesses, according to the recent indictment against Correia, agreed to allegedly pay the mayor bribes ranging from approximately $100,000 to $250,000 in exchange for letters of non-opposition and host community agreements cannabis businesses are urged to acquire before applying for state licenses.
Though Fields said no one has approached her business asking for money, she noted several investors departed the project over potential ethical concerns.
When asked about the recent allegations against the mayor, Fields said, “We had our suspicions.”
“I’ve been trying to do this for 10 months. Legally do this for 10 months. I had two partners initially that were going to come on board and we were in negotiations from November of last year to this May,” she said. “These two partners had a considerable amount of money and history with the city, but they had their suspicions this was going on and wanted no part of it.”
Thus far, Fields said she and her Regeneration LLC business partners, including building owner Richard Silverstein, have met with Correia and city Corporation Counsel Joseph Macy about the planned facility. A proposal has been submitted through the mayor’s office.
The building, previously home to Korber Hats, would be renovated in phases. Fields said the project would see cannabis cultivation on the building’s main floor with processing and manufacturing on the upper floor.
Rather than pursue a license to sell recreational marijuana, Fields said she and her business partners decided against it to limit possible negative impacts on the neighborhood. She referenced the spike in traffic around the city’s only operational adult-use dispensary, Northeast Alternatives, as one example.
“We don’t want to impose that on our neighbors,” said Fields. “We really can’t emphasize enough that we care about our neighbors.”
To help keep abutters involved, Regeneration LLC has been presenting plans at meetings of the South End Neighborhood Association. The building’s lowest level, which won't be associated with cannabis, is being eyed for a variety of uses based on the suggestions of neighborhood residents.
Possible uses listed by Fields included a juice bar, yoga studio, restaurant, community meeting space or kayak rental service.
Regeneration LLC has yet to submit a license application with the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. Fields said CCC members urged the company to acquire a letter of non-opposition and host community agreement from city officials first.